West of the Sun
by Meddwl
Summary: At the Doors of Moria, fate or chance intervenes. The Nine Walkers (and Bill) find themselves in a wood located on an East-Coast college campus. Apparently someone thinks that the world needs a lesson in courage and fellowship. Completely and totally AU, but in character, what would the company actually do if they landed in modern day America? No Legomance, no Mary-Sues, no OOC.
1. Chapter 1 - Not in Arda

Gandalf touched the grey rock wall, his worn fingers caressing the aged stone. The moon shone clear upon them highlighting the cresses of age and toil, mute tribute to long years of labor. The stone beneath them shuddered ever so slightly at the contact and swirling lines of silver, gossamer-thin radiated outwards.

They grew steadily, brightening until they shone clearly. Legolas lifted his face from the cliff wall from where he had been listening for any warning of danger. Two trees wrapped gracefully about the pillars, seven stars arched over a high helm slightly above them and an anvil beneath that. Between them glittered a many-pointed star.

Legolas opened his mouth to speak but the dwarf was before him.

"There are the emblems of Durin!" he said, the timber of his voice deep and pealing with anticipation.

"And there is the Tree of the High Elves!" said Legolas softly, for wood-elf that he was, he was yet a prince of his realm and even had some small share in that legacy.

Gandalf looked closely at the design and frowned, "And the Star of the House of Fëanor" he muttered, "I sense no evil and yet something is amiss."

He lowered his staff and touched the star with it. The moment the staff made contact a blinding light shone outwards enveloping the company completely. There was a startled bray from Bill and a shrill cry that could have been Merry, Pippin or both. And then there was silence.

The dark water lapped softly at the base of the door, which shone golden now with an unearthly radiance. A pale tentacle flicked idly at the stone, but there was naught for it to catch hold of. The men, four hobbits, a dwarf, a wizard, an Elf and a pony were gone, no trace of their passing remaining.

Somewhere else completely, nine people of varying races and a pony picked themselves up painfully from the dirt. They were laying among thickly tangled bushes and brambles at the base of a shallow ravine. The trees were showing the first signs of spring, redbuds blooming idly above their heads.

Legolas picked himself up gingerly. Thoroughly scratching himself in the process, he glared at the offending plants which for some reason refused to recognize him as an elf. He could sense no ill-intent, as a matter of fact he could sense no intent at all. They were silent to his thoughts.

He reached a hand down to Gandalf as Aragorn stumbled to his feet. Boromir muttered something under his breath as Sam and Merry blinked and sat up, from their position on his chest. The hobbits looked down worriedly and turned red when they discovered that they were pinning down the Gondorian.

"Frodo?" called Aragorn and Legolas together as they looked about wildly. There was no sight of Ringbearer.

"He was next to Pippin and I" said a slightly breathless voice from above them. Everyone looked up, Legolas' face twisted oddly, his grey eyes twinkling in the green light. Gandalf and Aragorn looked stunned and disbelieving while the hobbits began chuckling and Boromir gave an unconvincing cough.

Gimli and Merry were sitting together on a large branch about thirty feet off the ground. Merry looked dazed and unhappy while Gimli glowered murderously at the offending "weed".

"You have had your laugh" he rumbled, glaring at the hobbits and Legolas. Gandalf nodded to the Elf and he stepped back slightly before launching himself forward. There was a faint snick as his feet left the ground and he stood lightly upon and impossibly thin bough ten feet of the ground. Another snick of soft shoes and he sat next to the two unfortunates.

He glanced between them, Pippin looked rather white while Gimli's eyes merely flashed darkly.

Legolas looked at the dwarf impassively, "Pippin first" he said quietly, "You are more used to such perilous circumstances than he." a green flicker lighting his eyes with amusement for a moment. Gimli scowled but nodded as Legolas slung Pippin over his shoulder and slide down.

Gimli sat nervously waiting for his return, he had not shown his trepidation, but though not in the least afraid of heights of good solid stone having only air and some whispering branches between him and the cold ground was not a situation he enjoyed in the least. Even worse he would be relying on that spindle-legged and flighty elven youngster for his removal.

So wrapped in these dour forebodings was he that he failed to notice that return of the Elf, whose fair face appeared suddenly, startling him more than he cared to admit. Before he could protest he found the slender arms wrapped firmly about his chest and then they were both sliding downwards with terrifying swiftness to come to a gentle halt upon the ground.

Legolas smiled suddenly and Gimli felt an unexpected warmth in his heart, the Elf was certainly no weakling and he had not even laughed at Gimli's plight and he found himself smiling back while Gandalf looked knowingly at Aragorn.

Now only Frodo and Bill were missing, a problem soon remedied by Merry tripping over a soft bundle that turned out to be his cousin. Frodo stirred and opened confused brown eyes as he looked up at the Fellowship.

"Are you injured?" asked Gandalf quickly. Frodo shook his head, "Just stunned and dazed" he said somewhat groggily.

"Are you sure?" Sam pressed, looking him over for injuries, "Do you know what happened to Bill?" Frodo shook his head as Pippin's voice piped happily, "I have him, he is fine!"

Sam turned and there indeed was Pippin with a bedraggled and very dirty Bill. Everyone turned to Gandalf.

"Where are we?" asked Frodo.

Gandalf looked unhappily at the sixteen eyes fixed on him.

"I have not the slightest idea." he said.

"What!" squeaked Pippin, "You are a wizard."

Gandalf looked fixedly at the hobbit, "Even the wise cannot see all ends, or know all places, Peregrine Took." he said sternly, "I do not yet know where we are. If we make haste away from this uncomfortable wood we may find some answers."

"There is a pathway ahead" offered Legolas, "It is made of some strange dark material. Beyond it are more wood." He stopped speaking and put a finger to his lips. Everyone fell silent for a moment. Then he stirred, "There are humans walking along it" he said softly, "They are dressed strangely and many carry packs of some sort upon their shoulders. I do not feel any malice but we should not let them see us."

They moved forward silently, even Bill moving soundlessly at a whisper from the Elf. They had nearly reached the strange path when there was a sort of whistling noise and a red contraption flew past.

There was girl, in a bright blue top and a long black and white striped shirt sitting on it. She was half-way up the hill, one foot flung over each side of the metal thing. She pushed something with her hand and it stopped, she slipped off gracefully enough until her foot touched the ground. She landed wrong and fell the rest of the way, laying stunned for a moment.

The hobbits looked worried.

"She's hurt Gandalf" said Pippin, "We should help her." Gandalf looked between them for a moment, "We should not show ourselves until we are certain of their purpose" he said sadly. The girl sat up and he let out a relieved breath.

She stood awkwardly and stumbled.

Merry and Pippin looked at each other and darted forward as the rest of the Fellowship watched in a mix of worry and pride.

"I am Meriadoc Brandybuck" said Merry quickly, "This is my cousin Peregrine Took, you can call us Merry and Pippin for short. Are you alright?"

The girl looked startled for a moment and then laughed merrily enough. "You can call me Brigid" she said, "the rest of my name is to long for ordinary use. I am quite alright, I have fallen off of a bike before."

"Is that what that is called?" asked Pippin.

"You are bleeding." said Merry.

"You really are Merry and Pippin" said Brigid looking at them oddly, "Yes, that is called a bike. I am bleeding, slightly and you are not supposed to be here at all."

Merry and Pippin glanced at each other.

"Of course we're Merry and Pippin" said Pippin indignantly, "Who else would we be?"

"Frodo and Sam" said Brigid, "Only you are both too young to be Frodo."

"What do you know about our cousin?" asked Merry fiercely, vaguely hearing shocked whispers from the woods.

Brigid stood up, "This is not a good place to speak of such things, we should leave before someone else sees you. Unless…" she looked suspiciously at the two hobbits, "You are not alone are you?"

There was an audible gasp from Sam and she looked into the woods to see an arrow aimed for her chest while an angry dwarf, wizard and pony emerged onto the path. Behind them two tall men could be seen, bright swords in hand as they shielded two smaller figures from view.

"I do not serve the Enemy" she said pointedly, "But there is much to discuss, elsewhere."

Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other and then at Gandalf. He nodded, "We will follow you" he said, "Do not attempt to trick us, or we will harm you, women or not."

She lead them swiftly, up the path and two the right past a long brick building before turning to the right again and down the lip of the hill. There was a fairly flat green place at the end, nicely shrouded by trees.

"Now" said Gandalf as everyone seated themselves, save Legolas who leaned back against the tree an arrow dangling loosely between his fingers.

"Tell us what you know of us and of Frodo."

Brigid grinned, "I know your names…"

"Indeed" snorted Gimli.

"Yes, Gimli son of Gloin" Gimli glared at her his hand tightening about the axe.

"You are Aragorn also known as Strider, Boromir of Gondor, Gandalf, or Mithrandir among the elves, Legolas Thranduilion, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Merry, Pippin and of course Bill the Pony."

Everyone not excluding Gandalf stared at her worriedly, "Together you are known as the Nine Walkers or the Fellowship."

"You know our names" said Aragorn sternly, "What of our purpose?"

"You go to destroy the Ring" said Brigid after a moment of hesitation, glancing briefly at Boromir and Frodo's hand.

No one said anything for a moment, than in a flurry of movement Brigid found herself surrounded by nine irate members of the Fellowship.

"Who are you?" asked Gandalf menacingly, "And where have you brought us?"

I could finally resist no longer. Having hit writer's block (briefly) in my other stories, (Elladan and Elrohir are being irratating and won't tell me where they were) I have succumbed to a Fellowship in Middle Earth. How they would really react, as you can see poor Brigid has a dramatic entrance that totally enchants the entire Fellowship, of- falling off her bike like a klutz. I hope you like it while I return to writing papers. :) This was my fun break.

Shire Rose


	2. Chapter 2 - Adjustments

NOTA BENE: Meg's name has been changed to Brigid.

* * *

"But I still don't understand?" said Pippin, "We are in a book?"

Brigid grinned, "Exactly, you are all in a book. There are quite a lot of people here that are fascinated with you as a matter of fact."

"They know all about us and our mission."

"Yes, but they don't think that you are real. For us you are simply a fairytale. We call it fantasy."

Gandalf looked at her, "And there is no dark lord, Sauron has not touched this world?" Brigid smiled a little sadly.

"Sauron is not here as Sauron, but there is more than enough evil. Man fell into it long ago, he was tempted, I think you would call the tempter Morgoth."

"But there is good still in this world" said Legolas who had not spoken before, "True there is a taint here as in Arda Marred but there is also light. The trees are not as awake nor are the waters touched by Ulmo, but there is life and goodness in many of them."

"Yes, there is good as well, though it is being lost quickly. Man is not irredeemable, only fallen."

"What chance has brought us here at this time?" asked Frodo aloud, "And with the ring…" he trailed off into silence as someone started down the path, the "Foggy Dew" sounding loud and clear coming towards them.

Brigid looked about, "You must not be seen!" she said desperately.

"But Sauron is not searching for us, according to your tale. Why should we need to hide?" asked Boromir. Brigid shook her head frantically.

"There are too many reasons do discuss now. Trust me, _saes, _you must not be seen." Legolas, Aragorn, Frodo and Gandalf stared for a moment before diving for cover. Aragorn and Frodo in a ditch, Gandalf behind a fallen log and Legolas perfectly camouflaged high in a tree. Brigid pulled out her laptop and had just opened Word when Zach appeared on the path.

"Brigid?" he said cautiously, "Are you ok?"

Brigid pressed on the first doc she had up and flashed him a smile, "Fine" she said cheerfully, "Just working on that history paper for McGowan. It's ridiculous how hard a three page paper can be to write."

Zach nodded knowingly, "Well I'll be seeing you later" he laughed, "Enjoy the paper."

Brigid breathed a sigh of relief when he vanished out of sight, the sound of his singing floating back towards her as the Nine Walkers came out of hiding.

Merry and Pippin had somehow figured out the tune, and began humming softly. A sudden noise startled nearly everyone as "Concerning Hobbits" sounded from Brigid's phone.

"Hello?" The hobbits stared, Gimli looked highly skeptical, Boromir suspicious and the rest merely interested.

Pippin nudged Merry, "What's she doing?"

"Oh, Hi Ruth" said Brigid to the oblong black object, "Where are you at the moment? In the library? Good, I have a problem, meet me at the overlook in seven minutes. Thanks."

"Who is Ruth?" asked Aragorn as she hung up.

"A friend, she will understand. We need to find you a place to stay and modern clothes."

"What is wrong with the woods?" queried Legolas, "Some dangerous beast hunts in them at night?"

"No, I forget you are all used to roughing it, actually the woods would be best until we figure out why you are here."

"Roughing it?" said Sam, with a confused look.

"Living in the wild, we all live indoors far too much. Follow me, if anyone finds us let me try to explain. Please."

Surprisingly they arrived at the overlook with virtually no incident, thanks to most people being in class at ten in the morning.

Legolas heard Ruth first, "What is it this time?" she asked laughing as she entered the overlook, "Another story?"

They turned around and she froze and gave Brigid a confused look.

"I know" said Brigid, "I felt like that too."

"But what do we do with them? Why are they here? On _our _campus?"

"We will be staying the woods at present, Lady Ruth." cut in Gandalf smoothly, "We carry provisions for another week at least, we can get water from the river…"

"No don't!" shouted both girls together, "That is the filthiest river in the state."

"It is full of dead fish!"

"And muck!"

"Rotten food!"

"Dead animals!"

"Don't drink it, we will find you water!"

"Very well" said Aragorn, "What else should we know about this wood? Can we build a fire? Will the trees allow us to take their branches?"

"No fires, someone would come and investigate, usually a fire in the woods means that there are kids drinking under-age."

"Drinking?"

"Underage?"

Brigid looked at Ruth and Ruth looked back at Brigid. "About that, we need to tell you about how things work in America. America is the country we live in."

"There are no kings, any real ones anymore."

"There are only humans, no elves or dwarves or hobbits."

"Wizards are either charlatans or evil and sworn to Morgoth."

"You cannot wear weapons in public, unless you have permission."

Brigid looked around at the disgruntled faces around her, "Let's sit down and discuss this systematically." The hobbits smiled warmly at her and sat as the two tried to give the Fellowship of the Ring a crash course in the 21st century.

It was a very long morning and an even longer afternoon.

Happily, the members of the Fellowship were adept at picking up new ideas and were neither slow nor stupid. They may not have liked this strange new world they had blundered into but they were determined to make the best of it.

There was one false alarm when several girls ran by laughing uproariously, everyone one jumped behind the low stone wall that enclosed the overhang leaving Ruth and Brigid talking nervously. Luckily none of the girls had the faintest idea that an elf, two handsome men and four cute hobbits, not to mention Gimli and Gandalf himself were hiding within a few feet of them. Ruth snickered at the thought, further confusing the company.

All went well for a short while, the Fellowship remained hidden in the woods, unseen by all, even though Brigid and Ruth were suddenly attacked by fits of laughter utterly befuddling their teachers who also noticed a sharp drop in the quality of their homework. Laughing and telling stories with the Fellowship of the Ring under the stars, is decidedly unconducive to studying.

The water gave out after four days and Ruth and Brigid suddenly found themselves carrying numerous cups and water bottles into the woods. Not possessing the stealth of elves or hobbits such odd carryings-on were soon noticed and commented on.

And so it was that a little longer than a week after the Fellowship's arrival, Ruth was followed as she slipped towards the hidden camp.

* * *

And things begin to heat up. Reviews greatly appreciated.

Thanks to WoodElfJedi...

Shire Rose


	3. Chapter 3 - Songs and Tales

Ruth neared the camp her arms clasped about a leaning tower of water bottles. The trees leaned in around her as she entered the campsite. Brigid was already there, laying back looking up at the stars through the whispering branches as they swayed in the slight breeze.

Ruth was quickly relieved of her burden by Sam and Pippin, Sam because he wanted to help and Pippin because he was dying of thirst, or so he had said uncounted times throughout the day. Ruth flopped on the ground next to Brigid.

"What are we doing tonight?" she asked.

"We each have to tell or sing a story, Gimli is going first."

Ruth wracked her brains for a suitable song, not "Uptown Funk", not "What makes you beautiful", _definitely_ not "Sugar" Her thoughts went back to folk songs and she sighed with relief, "Loch Lomond" would be perfect even if the Fellowship was entirely ignorant of where or what Scotland was.

"What are you doing?" she whispered back as Gimli launched into a Dwarven marching song. He had a surprisingly pleasant voice, deep and resonating, she could almost hear the earth quivering under her feet in time to the pounding of many feet.

Merry and Pippin went next, Brigid and Ruth recognized it at once and being the sort of people that memorize every song or poem that Tolkien ever wrote they joined in on the second verse.

"Don't spill any of the water Pippin!" teased Ruth, "We had to carry that all the way here." Pippin turned red and then white.

"How, how do you know about that?" he stammered.

"We told you about the book didn't we?" laughed Brigid, "It specifically states that the floor was "swimming" by the end of that song."

"If I catch the person that followed us around writing down every little detail of our lives, they will be wishing they were Lotho Sackville-Baggins by the time I am finished with them!" threatened Merry.

"Too late, Merry" said Ruth, "He died many years ago, and anyways how do you think things would have turned out if we hadn't know who you were? You would probably all be locked away in some hospital under study for genetic mutations."

"Aragorn was going to sing next, I believe" interrupted Gandalf before either could say anything silly.

Aragorn sang softly his voice low but clear and rich, of his own far off ancestor, who sailed the evening star through the skies.

"That was beautiful Strider" said Sam more than a little awed, "What is it called?"

Aragorn smiled "The Eärendiloglir, it was written long ago in the second age by a Sindarin prince."

"Why would a Sindarin prince write about Eärendil?" asked Boromir, "He was the descendent of the Noldar was he not?"

"He was" confirmed Aragorn, "But the story of his quest to bring aid to all of Middle Earth was known to all the elves. The Sindar and the Noldar are not always enemies, though much ill passed between the two kindreds. He was the hero to many an Elven child, this one happened to have a gift for song weaving."

"You know the elf that wrote that?" asked Sam, extremely excited. Aragorn shot a wary glance towards Gandalf and Legolas and answered cautiously, "I know of him, he grew up to become a warrior himself. I believe they sing songs of his deeds now, among his own people at least."

"What was his name?"

Aragorn choked unhappily, trying not to meet the Elf's eyes.

"Cuthalion" he finally gasped.

"Strongbow?" asked Brigid and Frodo together, "he lived in the First Age."

"Not that Cuthalion" explained Gandalf, "He was born in the Second Age and named after the first for his archery skill."

His eyes meet Legolas', "May he have a better fate than his namesake, though both were known to befriend mortals easily."

"Were does he live?" asked Ruth, "Which elven realm?"

"He wandered" said Legolas before Aragorn could speak, "He has dwelt in both the Greenwood and Imladris as well as among the kindred of Lothlorien long ago. But enough of the Eärendiloglir, I believe it is my turn to sing…"

And the Elf turned his face to the stars, clear and white and familiar and sang softly of the cursed friendship between Turin, Child of Man and Beleg, Immortal Archer of Doriath.

The clearing lay very silent as the last notes fell, slide away on the night breeze. No one spoke for a moment before Gandalf lifted his own voice. It was surprisingly light and but achingly sad in the High Elven tongue that only Legolas and Aragorn knew.

Brigid spent most of it gathering her courage to sing herself and when he finished she started quickly before her confidence could fade away.

"_The Gypsy Rover came over the hill  
And down through the valleys so shady  
He whistled and he sang until the greenwoods rang  
And he won the heart of a lady…" _

Merry and Pippin joined in on the refrain, apparently it was known in Shire, as fact that scared her slightly. Sam and Frodo entered on second verse, covering Brigid's slip on a higher note with their cheerful voices. But it was the third verse that made her falter, Legolas joined on the first line, Boromir and Aragorn on the second.

"_He sought his daughter at great speed  
And the whistling gypsy rover…"_

Everyone was singing by the last verse to her unfailing delight and bewilderment, how _could _they all know a folk song from some unknown Celtic bard? Most of her friends didn't even know it!

"_He is no gypsy my father dear  
But the lord of these land over  
And I will stay to my dying day  
With my whistling gypsy rover!"_

Brigid's face was flushed from trying to keep up with Merry and Pippin's ridiculously fast pace, having hijacked the melody somewhere in the middle.

"How do you _all_ know that?" she gasped as she got her breath back.

"It's a Hobbit song!" chirped Pippin, not out of breath at all.

"It was based on the tale of Beren and Luthien" offered Legolas, "Though as you can tell, the other peoples of Ennor changed the story somewhat."

"I always heard that it was the tale of one of the princesses of Númenor." said Boromir.

"But that is a folk song from Earth!" pointed out Ruth, "How could it have remained, all through these years?"

"Even the wise cannot see all ends" Gandalf commented dryly making everyone laugh.

"Maybe we'll know your song too Ruth" said Merry, "Let's hear it!"

Brigid had a fairly decent voice, though it tended to misbehave without any notice, Ruth on the other hand had a beautiful voice, high and clear.

"_By yon bonnie banks and yon bonnie braes  
The sun shines down on Loch Lomond  
But me and my true love will never meet again  
By the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond…" _

This time no one in the Fellowship had heard the song before, slightly to the relief of both girls who suddenly felt very sympathetic for the Company on hearing that their life stories were known to a mob of unknown strangers.

And in the shadows Ruth's roommate, Bridget sat and wondered. She had known Brigid in high school and she knew further that both were addicted to Tolkien as she put it. Looking over the obviously real Fellowship she began to ponder whether there wasn't something to be said for Middle Earth after all.

But before she could ponder very long or stare with unabashed admiration at the rather handsome men and elf, her iPhone betrayed her into their unsuspecting hands.

A very sprightly remix of "Fireflies" began to play loudly to inform her that it was near midnight. The Company leapt to their sundry feet, while Brigid and Ruth ran forward.

"Bridget?"

"Bridget!"

"Is it safe?"

"Who is she?"

"My roommate" muttered Ruth unhappily, "What _are_ you doing here?"

"You were walking into the woods with an armful of water bottles! How could I not be curious?"

"What is her name?" asked Gandalf, an authoritative ring in his voice.

"Bridget" said Bridget.

"Her name is Brigid" declared Sam pointing to the _real _Brigid.

"Her's is Bridget, with a "t", I have a "d" on the end!" explained Brigid.

"Don't you get confused?" pointed out Merry.

The girls looked at each other and laughed.

"All the time!"

* * *

The songs are old folk songs, I don't really remember when I first learned the lyrics. If you search The Corries on Youtube they are both there.

To Reviewers:

WoodElfJedi: Writer's block gone for the moment!

LOTCR: Newcomer unveiled herein. Thank you, still slightly nervous about dumping in the 21st century

Just A Reviewer: I am glad you like Brigid...here name is yet to be fully revealed though. Zach is just a guy at the college, a friend of the girls.

Emma Gilthoniel: I am definitely going for realism, so thanks!

Shire Rose


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